Do you hear what I hear?
Apparently not. When you’re trying to tell the service manager what’s wrong with your car, do you often get a blank stare, like you’re speaking a foreign language?
The service manager may ask: “Is it a click or a tap or a clatter?” Now it’s your turn to give a blank stare. Then, with more than minor embarrassment, you try to duplicate the noises your car makes, which must then be translated into terms that technicians understand.
Wouldn’t it be better if we could speak the same language?
To improve that communication, we present a dictionary of sounds. Keep it handy for translations whenever you are in the foreign land of the automotive repair shop.
– Boom–Like distant thunder, bass drum or empty garbage can; a low-pitched reverberate, deep, hollow sound. Often associated with exhaust noises.
– Buzz–Usually caused by vibrations, it sounds like the buzz of a bee or reed instrument, such as a clarinet or saxophone; almost a hum. Usually low-pitched. Often associated with noises from the dashboard, exhaust system or window moldings.
– Chatter–Like chattering teeth or the sound a pencil makes when drummed on a desk; a light, occasionally metallic, fast-clicking sound. Often associated with brake problems or worn wiper blades dragging across the windshield.
– Chirp–A high-pitched, almost melodic, rapidly repeating sound, like a bird. Often associated with brakes, tires, fan belts or loose wheel covers.
– Chuckle–Like a stifled laugh, the sound of something loose but a lower tone than a chirp or rattle. Often associated with noises that occur from under the car when crossing railroad tracks or potholes.
– Clack–Like a click, but a somewhat lower tone;, like the sound of billiard balls striking one another. Often associated with engine noises.
– Clatter–Short, rapid, almost rattling, often metallic sounds, like the noises from a busy restaurant kitchen; occasionally random rather than rhythmic. Often associated with engine valves, piston slap or a diesel engine.
– Click–A light, snapping sound, like the a gun being cocked or ball-point pen opening and closing. Often associated with engine noises, particularly valves and hydraulic lifters.
– Clunk–A heavy, dull thud that does not resonate, which you can almost feel as well as hear. Often associated with something loose in the trunk.
– Creak–A grating or rasping noise, like the hinges of a gate or door. Often associated with hinges in need of lubrication.
– Flap–A slapping sound similar to a bat’s or bird’s wings. Often associated with a flat tire or failing fan belt.
– Grind–An irritating, abrasive sound, like sandpaper or a file on metal or a knife being dragged across a stone. Often used to describe gear clash when shifting or a starter that does not mesh properly with the flywheel.
– Groan–A steady, low-pitched sound, like a person groaning. Often associated with suspension parts (often rubber) in need of lubrication.
– Growl–A steady, low-pitched sound, like a dog growling. Like a groan, but less nasal sounding. Often associated with brakes when applied lightly at slow speeds.
– Grunt–A brief, low-pitched sound, like that made by a hog. Often associated with brakes contaminated with grease or oil.
– Hiss–A sharp, continuous sound, like steam escaping from a pipe. Often associated with a leak in a tire or in the cooling system.
– Hum–A continuous, droning sound that may vary in pitch, like that made by some insects or hummingbirds. Often associated with roller bearings, especially wheel bearings, that are wearing out.
– Knock–A loud, sudden, sharp noise, like someone knocking on a door. Often associated with detonation or spark knock, but when coming from low in the engine, it forebodes severe damage.
– Loose lumber–A relatively recent term, the sound of an armload of boards being picked up. Usually associated with shock absorbers, springs or other suspension parts.
– Ping–A light, sharp, metallic noise. Often associated with pre-ignition or engine ping due to low-octane fuel or excessive compression.
– Pop–A minor explosive sound, like opening a bottle of champagne or a bursting balloon. Often associated with backfiring through the carburetor.
– Rattle–Random, repeated, short, sharp noises, like shaking a can of stones. Often associated with loose parts such as brake calipers or pads or loose exhaust parts.
– Roar–A low-pitched, deep, prolonged sound, like from a lion. Often associated with belt-driven fans when an engine is started or the sound of the engine when the transmission is not shifted to a higher gear.
– Rumble–A low, oscillating sound, like when driving over the rumble strips when approaching a toll plaza. Often associated with undercarriage noises on rough roads.
– Scrape–A harsh, grating noise, like someone scraping paint or shoveling snow from a sidewalk. Often associated with something loose contacting a moving part, such as a parking brake cable contacting the drive shaft or debris caught between the brake rotor and dust shield.
– Screech–An obnoxious, irritating, shrill, high-pitched noise. Often associated with the sound from the tires when skidding to a stop with the brakes locked.
– Sizzle–A hissing sound, like bacon frying. Often associated with something leaking (such as coolant or oil) onto a hot engine part and usually heard with the engine off.
– Snap–A sharp sound, like a twig being broken. Often associated with a high-voltage spark jumping to ground from a spark-plug wire.
– Sputter–A random spitting sound. Often associated with an engine miss, usually upon acceleration.
– Squeak–A short, high-pitched sound, like that made by a mouse. Often associated with springs or dry rubber bushings.
– Squeal–A shrill, usually high-pitched sound, like that made by a pig. Often associated with the noise from tires in high-speed cornering maneuvers or loose or misaligned fan belts.
– Tap–A light hammering sound, heavier and more solid than a click, like that made by a screwdriver on a table or someone tapping on a window pane. Often associated with engine valves or collapsed lifters.
– Thump–A sudden, dull sound, like a clunk, but less melodic; like the sound of a bowling ball dropped on a sack of grain. Often associated with sounds coming through the floor of the vehicle or from the trunk.
– Whine–A high-pitched, usually unwavering sound, like a jet engine. Usually associated with worn gears, bearings. Normal (if faint) from turbochargers.
– Whir–A smooth, vibrating sound, like an electric drill or mixer. Usually associated with things that are running perfectly.
– Whistle–A shrill, clear, piercing sound. Often associated with wind noise at the windows or radiator.
